Most folks are familiar with the terms used to describe large groups of common animals – a flock of birds, a herd of horses, etc. – and a few trivia buffs have probably even heard of a “crash” of rhinos, or, a “murder” of crows. That being said, how many have given a second thought to the nomenclature used to describe animals on the farm? Well, this is where it becomes a little bit complicated – for instance, a group of piglets is called a “farrow”, juvenile pigs group together in a “drift” and older pigs can be found in a “saunder”. Similarly, you might stumble across a “down” of hares, a “warren” of rabbits, or a “fluffle” of bunnies. Most will also be aware that a rooster is a male chicken and a hen is the female, or that “stallion” and “mare” are the terms used for male and female horses. But this too can be further broken down. A young female pig, who has not yet had piglets, is called a “gilt” and is only called a sow after farrowing (giving birth). A young female cow, who has not calved, is called a “heifer” and is only called a cow after giving birth. The same conditions, applied to a young female horse, is called a “filly”.
Why are there so many terms for different breeds ages and even conditions of certain animals? Counterintuitively, this reason is to make things simpler. While there is a learning curve involved with committing the various terms to memory, a single term can replace an entire sentence and convey a concise meaning. This way, farmers can have a brief conversation and know exactly which animals need help, are being introduced to the farm, or need to be fed. Just for fun, I’ve included a (far from exhaustive) list of terms for groups of animals from www.yourdictionary.com… enjoy!
- Apes: a shrewdness
- Badgers: a cete
- Bats: a colony or a camp
- Bears: a sloth or a sleuth
- Bees: a swarm
- Buffalo: a gang or obstinacy
- Camels: a caravan
- Cats: a clowder or a glaring; Kittens: a litter or a kindle; Wild cats: a destruction
- Cobras: a quiver
- Crocodiles: a bask
- Crows: a murder
- Dogs: a pack; Puppies: a litter
- Donkeys: a drove
- Eagles: a convocation
- Elephants: a parade
- Elk: a gang or a herd
- Falcons: a cast
- Ferrets: a business
- Fish: a school
- Flamingos: a stand
- Fox: a charm
- Frogs: an army
- Geese: a gaggle
- Giraffes: a tower
- Gorillas: a band
- Hippopotami: a bloat
- Hyenas: a cackle
- Jaguars: a shadow
- Jellyfish: a smack
- Kangaroos: a troop or a mob
- Lemurs: a conspiracy
- Leopards: a leap
- Lions: a pride
- Moles: a labor
- Monkeys: a barrel or a troop
- Mules: a pack
- Otters: a family
- Oxen: a team or a yoke
- Owls: a parliament
- Parrots: a pandemonium
- Pigs: a drift or drove (younger pigs) or a sounder or a team (older pigs)
- Porcupines: a prickle
- Rabbits: a warren
- Rats: a colony
- Ravens: an unkindness
- Rhinoceroses: a crash
- Shark: a shiver
- Skunk: a stench
- Snakes: a nest
- Squirrels: a dray or a scurry
- Stingrays: a fever
- Swans: a bevy or a game (if in flight: a wedge)
- Tigers: an ambush or a streak
- Toads: a knot
- Turkeys: a gang or a rafter
- Turtles: a bale or a nest
- Weasels: a colony, a gang or a pack
- Whales: a pod, a school, or a gam
- Wolves: a pack
- Zebras: a zeal
Blog written by: Connor Newman, Hodges Farm Manager
Reference: https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/word-lists/list-of-names-for-groups-of-animals.html